Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, #Russia has suffered heavy losses in both personnel and military materiel. The high rate of losses is forcing #Moscow to send units into battle with improvised equipment, saving its limited resources until everything else has failed. It is a sign of weakness in the invading forces which can be overlooked by headlines about Russian advances on multiple fronts.
While the Russian authorities boast that they were able to replace the “toxic” #dollar and #euro by transferring a significant part of transactions to the #yuan, the Central Bank is sounding the alarm. For normal operation, companies must be able to attract financing in yuan, but Russian banks are in short supply. #China does not provide them, so you can only rely on the Central Bank and the savings of Russian companies and citizens.
Russia losing a strategic early warning radar system is a new twist in the Ukraine conflict that could have further reaching ramifications.
Satellite imagery confirms a Russian strategic early warning radar site in the southwestern end of the country was substantially damaged in a reported Ukrainian drone attack earlier this week.
The first batch of Ukrainian pilots have graduated from F-16 training at an #Arizona military base, a crucial step toward putting modern, American-made fighter jets in Ukraine’s skies, Capt. ERIN HANNIGAN, a spokesperson with the Air National Guard, told.
The pilots are now headed to Europe for additional training, according to a person with knowledge of their movements.
Viktor #Orbán’s #Hungary is holding up legislation that would enable #Ukraine to receive up to €2bn for weapons from the #EU, in a blow to efforts to mobilise profits from Russian assets frozen under sanctions.
“For the time being they are blocking everything connected to the military support to Ukraine,” said one of the people, suggesting #Budapest’s reservations would remain until at least next month’s European elections.
Former president Donald #Trump again invoked authoritarian leaders at a rally Thursday, a reminder of a vision he has been outlining for a potential second term.
Trump referenced Russian President Vladimir #Putin, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, Chinese leader #Xi Jinping and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor #Orban.
Trump said the leaders were “at the top of their game, whether you like it or not.”
#G7 finance ministers will lay the groundwork for using the profits from frozen #Russia assets to help #Ukraine, according to a draft of the communique that they’re set to sign off on Saturday.
The move comes after the #US pushed for the G-7 to leverage future revenue generated from about $280 billion in Russian central bank funds, most of which lies immobilized in Europe. The plan could unlock an aid package of as much as $50 billion for Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir #Putin said on Friday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr #Zelenskiy had no legitimacy following the expiry of his five-year term and this would raise a legal obstacle if #Russia and #Ukraine were to hold peace talks.
With Ukraine under martial law in the third year of Russia's full-scale invasion, Zelenskiy has not faced elections despite the expiry of his five-year term this week.